Which option describes a feature not associated with mercantilism?

Which option describes a feature not associated with mercantilism?

• A. Export more than import
• B. Government regulation of trade
• C. Self-sufficiency
• D. Free trade with no tariffs

Answer: (D)

Mercantilism centers on building national wealth by tightly shaping trade to produce a net export surplus and to increase state power. Governments regulate commerce, promote domestic production, and pursue self-sufficiency to reduce reliance on foreign goods and to fund the state’s interests. In this framework, exporting more than importing is a goal, and heavy trade regulation or tariffs are common tools used to achieve it. Free trade with no tariffs, by contrast, allows more imports and weakens the ability to control the balance of trade, which is why it does not fit mercantilist thinking.

Mercantilism centers on building national wealth by tightly shaping trade to produce a net export surplus and to increase state power. Governments regulate commerce, promote domestic production, and pursue self-sufficiency to reduce reliance on foreign goods and to fund the state’s interests. In this framework, exporting more than importing is a goal, and heavy trade regulation or tariffs are common tools used to achieve it. Free trade with no tariffs, by contrast, allows more imports and weakens the ability to control the balance of trade, which is why it does not fit mercantilist thinking.